BigDipper 80

I'm impressed. The momentum and excitement this project brings is tantalizing.

The I-75 NB to Hopple off ramp was open today. Anyone know when it opened for business? I was caught completely off guard for it and ended up cutting across all four lanes to get off I-75 today.

Bumping this only because I just discovered those Newton Avenue images, and that street is all kinds of awesome! Thanks for bringing that up, KJP. I was driving around Hough the other day near League Park and I can only imagine how interesting that neighborhood must have been in its prime. It's still a cool place despite its current less-than-ideal state.

Here ya go:

I watched that girl get hit. Absolutely horrific. Whitfield was a disaster last winter. Cops put up barriers but apparently they couldn't legally close the road despite the snow and ice, and of course everyone thought they knew better than the barriers. So much schadenfreude when you'd tell someone they wouldn't make it up the hill and they'd give you the bird and try it anyway just to spin out, slide back down, and crash into another car. As for the initial renderings, I have to say that they don't look half-bad. Much improved over what was there, and all the schlock along Lowell.

I'm not a fan of the new light poles that these projects have gotten. Are they an ODOT decision or a local one? I do like the concrete Art Deco-esque side walls that all the new bridges have been getting though. Honestly the new road stuff here is 100 times better than the awful faux-rock stuff that's gone in towards Lima.

I used to rent the (now leveled) house in the first image... I'm pretty sure they bought a couple more homes on that lower part of Whitfield. Haven't seen any blueprints, but I've heard it's supposed to at least make an attempt to fit into the neighborhood.

The Whitfield Gardens apartments behind Good Samaritan have been completely leveled. From what I understand, they're being replaced with a new apartment complex and a few townhomes along Whitfield Avenue.

Ok, Ok, it was probably closer to six hours than it was to 3. What can I say, I walk quickly :wink:. It still wasn't nearly enough time to really appreciate what I was seeing, what with essentially walking from the Willis Tower over to to State and up across the river before darting back around the Loop again and heading to Union Station in about 3 hours. I wish I knew more about the city's history and architecture than I do.

Don't know how far west you want, but we usually go to Olmsted Auto, Exit 3 on 480 at the corner of Stearns and Cook. They've worked on all four of our family's Civics and we've had no complaints with their work.

I was up in Lake Forest for a wedding and finally got a chance to head back to Chicago for a few short hours. I don't think the time and locations I did see really were able to give me the full picture of what the city is about, but obviously they like to build them tall. Hopefully I'll get back one day and spend some time in the neighborhoods, and not just in the Loop. Anyway, here's a few photos from my walk. Starting out late at night along Michigan Avenue. I'm a big fan of the Lake Point Tower. Aqua is awesome. Big fan. Let me go grab a stick of gum... I think I was more interested in taking pictures of people taking pictures at the bean than of the bean itself. Shutter was a bit too slow on this one. Still trying to figure out how to use this thing. Heading back up Michigan. And a quick jump to Chinatown for lunch. Four hours till the MegaBus comes... I just walked around the Loop for a while. Maybe I'll explore the 'hoods when I actually have time. Most of the area around here was closed off for Batman filming. I wandered around anyway. The world's nicest Target. Reliance Building, I think. I didn't realize I was in the presence of greatness until I got home to look at my shots. Too early for this Christmas nonsense. Macy Field's was nice. Don't build department stores like they used to. I love old theaters. Gotta see the inside of these some time. The building next to the Oriental looks interesting too. Must be a funny vanity plate. The LaSalle canyon was pretty cool. A bit of barrel distortion, but that's ok. Obligatory L shot. Chicago has such a mix of banal skyscrapers and completely spectacular ones, like this one. I guess most American cities have some boring buildings, Chi-town just made them twice as tall. Thank you, 270mm lens. Golden hour hits just as it's time to head back to Cincinnati. Somehow, squeezing nine boring International skyscrapers together made one giant, moderately interesting International skyscraper. (Its base is still ugly.) Feeling like Al Capone. Well, that's all she wrote. Thanks for taking a look.

Mmmm, Farkas Napoleons... I really should have picked up one or 30 when I was home last month. Loving all of the amazing lighting on the buildings. Downtown really comes alive at night now.

This thread can also be alternatively titled "I got a new camera so I'm trying to figure out how it works". Since UC is right across the street, it's the easiest place for me to practice with my first SLR. I still get more washed-out pictures than I'd like, but this thing has a learning curve. So many buttons to play with... Anyway, on to some photos.

^I completely agree. I live a few houses north of the intersection on Clifton, and my housemate got hit by a car just yesterday. Completely trashed his bicycle. No one ever stops when I'm crossing there, as if it's their God-given right to cruise through those right-hand turn lanes without looking. I hate it.

I noticed yesterday that they started painting the bridge that goes over Clifton Avenue. I think I liked it better when it was just exposed concrete.

Interesting article from The Atlantic about Franklinton. I can't say I'm terribly familiar with what's happening here, but it sounds like lots of positives for the neighborhood. The rest of the article is at: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/remaking-columbuss-most-downtrodden-neighborhood/380860/

It's ridiculous to hear these types of things. I doubt he'd be so loud if the street was closed only for sewer work or repaving. On the other hand, you hear this same stuff with every big project, and luckily most of the complainers have a short attention span. I still remember all of the hooplah surrounding the HealthLine construction in Cleveland and how everyone complained that the construction was gridlocking downtown and killing business. None of those people pointed out that Euclid Avenue was nearly a ghost town pre-HealthLine anyway.

I love Covington. They have some great architecture over there. It's a shame what they did to their riverfront and along 4th Street, though. Great photos!

You're right. I'm sure that satisfies the requirement. It would be nice to see that flower stand back, though... I remember reading in a book somewhere that the city took the issue of the public market requirement to court a few years back and got the issue nullified, so as far as I've read, that particular quirk isn't on the books any more.

I love seeing all of the PEOPLE on the streets! That's always a good sign. Fantastic shots, as always!

I think my favorite thing about the video was that they used the original soundtrack for the Disneyland Monorail from the late 50s-early 60s. :wink:

Lobbyists. Gotta love them. 2 bridges used to highlight road woes "Before you cross the Brent Spence Bridge in Covington, ads on an electronic billboard on Interstates 71/75 will warn you that the bridge is functionally obsolete and will advise you to carry a life vest." http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2014/06/13/bridges-used-highlight-road-woes/10500781/?fb_action_ids=829424950402432&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582 It disgusts me how people use "functionally obsolete" as a scare tactic.

Hot Springs is a very interesting place. I like old resort towns, and there is some cool architecture throughout the city, and the bathhouses are beautiful. It's probably been six or seven years since we checked it out. Thanks for sharing!

I really like Columbus' rowhomes, if that's what they're actually referred to as. I wish Cleveland had denser historic housing stock than the big detached homes it has throughout most of the city. Cbus very much embraced the the Midwestern color palette of "beige, brown, and more beige". Thanks for sharing.

^Yeah, I wasn't entirely sure why there was a link to the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourist Video... Even for a crime as bizarre as this one, the article just had a weird tone.